


An Eye for an Eye

by oracleskald



Category: Norse Religion & Lore
Genre: Devotional Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:28:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28574535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oracleskald/pseuds/oracleskald
Summary: I realised, recently, that I have an unfortunate habit of not giving poor Mimir his due. I very rarely refer to his well with particular reverence, and I tend to gloss over it when thinking about the sacrifices that Odin has made for knowledge. I wrote this poem in an attempt to make amends for that, but a little bit of my typical tongue-in-cheek personality shone through anyway. Sorry, Mimir.





	An Eye for an Eye

At Mimir’s Well, Mímisbrunnr,   
the alphabet soup of the Æsir,  
the phrase “an eye for an eye”  
takes lucid, literal form.  
Below the leaves of Yggdrasil  
lies knowledge not for mortal ken,  
deep from primordial Ginnungagap  
and guarded, well, by the Rememberer.  
Thought, recollection and memory  
are drunk, deep, from the lips of the Gjallarhorn,  
and if you pay the price, as Odin saith,  
you may learn truths you wish you hadn’t.

“After all,” you may ask,  
“did Odin not have one eye when time began?  
Was peripheral vision worth the cost  
of knowledge of the end of time, of days,  
of knowledge itself?”

The Allfather taps his nose,  
and smiles - that smile that   
infuriates all gods and mortals both -  
and Mimir rolls his eyes, and Odin’s eye  
perhaps  
and stands vigil o’er the well  
with mead in pledge ‘til Ragnarök.  
Eye, horn and well, and ear of Heimdall,  
all are hidden in his grove,  
and yet many seek the Head,  
the Thought, the Recollection, the Worry,  
in search of sight, of warning.  
An eye for an eye, a truth for a truth.  
Knowledge gained for knowledge lost.

And in a moment, truth’s undoing.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at [historicaloracle.ca](https://www.historicaloracle.ca/post/an-eye-for-an-eye). Comments welcome here, or there.


End file.
